Steam meter



(No Model.)

G. 0. ST.. JOHN.

STEAM METER.

Patented Sept. 1

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GAMALIEL 0. ST. OHN, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

STEAM-METER;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,054, dated september 1, 1896. Application filed June 13, 1895. Serial No. 552,725. (No model.)

T0 at whom itmay concern;

Be it known that I, GAMALIEL 0. ST. JOHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Meters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to steam-meters.

The object is to produce a steam-meter presenting in a few number of parts and ina compact form a device that will accurately register the amount of steam usedin a given time, and in which the parts shall be so constructed and assembled as to present the highest possible range of usefulness with a minimum degree of danger of derangement of the parts from long-continued use.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a steam-meter, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, I have illustrated one form of embodiment of my invention capable of carrying the same into effect, although otherforms of em' bodiment may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of the preferred form of meter. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionalview, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing more particularly the guide in which works the stem of the operating-valve.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a suitable casing, provided with an ingressopening a, and egress-opening a and a hollow projection a the function of which latter will hereinafterappear. The casing is provided at its upper portion with an internal guide having an opening 01, located, preferably, at its I center, and with a valveseat (0 arranged in a diaphragm a located below the said guide. I Y

Fitting within the valve-seat is a tapered or conical valve 13, having its'upper end providedwith a stem 12, preferably one that is removable from the valve, the said stem being designed to engage the opening a in the guide a, and at its lower end with a second stem or projection 19*, carrying a piston-head which works in a dash-pot 0, located at or near the lower end of the casing, the dashpot and the guide c serving to cause the valve to move in a vertical line, the dash-pot being filled with water operating to steady the movement of the valve and thus cause it to efiect the function for. which it is designed. The piston fits'loosely within the dash pot, in order that when the valve starts to rise or to seat itself the movement will be as free from friction as possible, and, also, gradual as possible, this being due to the fact that the water in the dash-pot surrounding the piston has to pass between the walls of the dash-pot and the periphery of the piston as oftenas the valve is raised by the pressure of the steam or sinks toward'or to its seat when the supply of steam has been cut off, thereby, at one and the same time, giving the greatest sensitiveness to the movement'of the valve and steadiness to its upward and downward movement, and also preventing any dancing motion when enginesare supplied with steam or sudden impact between the valve and its seat, which might result in injury toone or both. The main result obtained by means of the dash-pot and the water therein is the desirable steadiness on the chart outside of the casing where the flow of steam is recorded. WVhile the dash-pot is described as being located at or near the lower end of the casing, it is to be understood that the in-';

vention is not to be limited to this arrangement, as the dash-pot may be located within the casing at the point occupied by a deflecting and pressure-equalizing shield (i (hereinafter to be described) and to be made to perform its proper function. If preferred, the valve may be a true taper from end to end, but as a matter of specific improvement I construct the valve of two cones, integral or otherwise, the difference in the diameters of the two cones forming a seat or peripheral flange a", which is designed to rest on the seat a and thereby limit the downward movement of the valve.

Projecting upward from the dash-pot or from the lower portion of the casin g to a point near the valve-seat a is the deflecting and pressure-equalizing shield a which is to protect the valve from the direct impact of the steam as it enters the casing, and thereby prevent such impact from tilting the valve and causing it to bind in its seat and thus work unevenly, and also serves to deflect the steam and bring it uniformly toward and up to the seat a, where by its force it raises the valve and escapes between the seat and the valve and thence to the egress-openin g a the guide a being so constructed as to present no obstruction to the free escape of the steam.

Pivoted at a point near the outer portion of the projection and within the same is a rod D, the inner free end having a stud or projection d, which engages a groove in the stem 1), so that the movements of the valve will cause the rod to rock on its pivot and thus move a pointer located externally of the casing and traversing a strip of paper moved by clockwork, whereon the movement of the valve is recorded and the quantity of steam used and the length of time of its use are thus rendered ascertainable.

The upper portion of the casing is provided with a threaded stem E, which is designed to be raised or lowered, and thus regulate the quantity of steam permitted to pass through the valve and egress-opening. Thus, for example, if a consumer wishes a supply of steam suiflcient to run a five-horse-power engine, the stem E is set so as to allow the valve a sufficient play to furnish that amount, but no more. The stem E is covered by a cap F, which is screwed onto the top of the casing, thus preventing any tampering with the stem when once set. If desired, a chain may be passed through loops G and H, located, respectively, on the cap and on the casing, and by securing its end by a lock entry to the interior of the casing will be prevented, or, if preferred, the cap F may be provided with an ordinary lock.

In order to withdraw the water of condensation from the casing, a petcock I is provided at the bottom, or, if preferred, a pipe may be employed which will run from the bottom of the casing to a trap. To keep a uniform depth of water in the dash-pot, the cylinder or sleeve a is perforated at its base with a small hole e on the opposite side from the inlet of steam, which permits the water of condensation to escape from the sleeve or cylinder into the casing, from whence it is removed by the current of inflowing steam or by the means of petcock I or pipe connected with a trap aforesaid. The hole a at the bottom of the sleeve, as described, maintains uniform depth of water in the dashpot and reduces to a minimum the alteration in the weight of valve which the steam-pressure has to overcome, due to the fact of the valve rising and sinking in the water of the dash-pot; that is to say, when the rod and piston-head rise in the water of the dash-pot the valve becomes progressively heavier in accordance with the amount of water displacement. In other words, the higher the piston rises out of the water the greater will be the weight of the valve. This uniformity in the height of water in the dashpot is important when the fact is taken into consideration that the meter is based entirely upon the principle of gravity, and, that being true, the weight should be as uniform as possible in order to get a uniform record. The dash-pot can be blown out and cleaned by means of a petcock J, located at its bottom. In some instances the dash-pot may be dispensed with, also the guide a the valve-seat a alone being used, as shown in Fig. 2, which is a modified form of construction of the meter shown in Fig. 1. In this modification an ordinary tapered plug-valve K is employed, which fits in aseat formed in a diaphragm 7t, and to the valve is attached an arm or rod L for operating the pointer on the outside of the casing. The valve K operates by gravity, and in being raised by the action of the steam, and in dropping by gravity, operates the pointer referred to in a manner that will be perfectly obvious.

I claim for my invention that it is adapted to equalize the flow of steam and to prevent the pounding tendency occurring every time the cut-off of an engine acts. It is not a steam-pressure regulator, because the steam will equalize itself above the valve and below the valve, but it will prevent any sudden changes, and hence I claim that it is withal a steam-pressure equalizer and has a tend ency to smoothen the flow of steam. The guide, valve, and dash-pot are calculated to regulate the flow of steam to anypoint where it is desired to be free from the vibrating or pounding tendency due to steam being taken and cut off by engine while in action. I claim that my meter will measure water and other fluids and also gases on the same principle as it measures steam. This indicator will be valuable in district steam-heatin g systems, where it is desirable, to know simply how long steam is being used when the quantity has been agreed upon and it is only desirable to know how long steam is being used and whether any has been used during the hours not agreed upon.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A steam-meter comprising a suitable casing provided with an ingress and an egress opening and with an internal valve-seat, and a valve engaging the seat and having its end portions guided and its intermediate portion valve having its end portions guided. and its 4. A steam meter comprising a suitable 20 intermediate portion fitting within and procasing provided with an ingress and an egress jecting below the valve-seat and opposite the opening and with an internal valve-seat, a ingress-opening, a deflecting and pressurevalve having its end portions guided and. its 5 equalizing shield surrounding the lower porintermediate portion fitting within and protion of the Valve, and registering mechanism jecting below the valve-seat and opposite the 25 actuated by the valve, substantially as deingress-opening, a deflecting and pressurescribed. 4 equalizing shield surrounding the lower por- 3. A steam-meter comprising a suitable tion of the valve, a dash-pot in which the IO casing provided with an ingress and an egress lower end portion of the valve Works, and

opening and with an internal valve-seat, a registering mechanism actuated by the valve, 30 cone-shaped valve having its end portions substantially as described. guided and its intermediate portion fitting In testimony whereof I affix my signature within and. projecting below the valve-seat in presence of two Witnesses.

15 and opposite the in ress-openin a deflectin and pressure-equalizing shield surrounding GAMALIEL JOHN the lower portion of the valve, and register- Witnesses: ing mechanism actuated by the valve, sub- PATRICK RYAN,

stantially as described. J. W. KENNEDY. 

